With clear skies over a river slowly rising to within inches of a record, thousands of people came downtown to take a once-in-lifetime picture Saturday afternoon.
Floodwater was creeping up Beale Street from Riverside Drive as the Mississippi hit 47 feet on the gage, on its way to a predicted crest of 48 feet May 10th. That would be less than a foot from the all-time high set in 1937.
While the Grizzlies were beating the Oklahoma Thunder at FedEx Forum a few blocks away, visitors took pictures of the water sloshing over the cobblestones, Beale Street, Mud Island River Park, and Riverside Drive. A windsurfer raced back and forth from Confederate Park to Mud Island River Park across the flooded harbor.
It may not be the highest flood on record but it surely the most photographed and family friendly.
